News

Sturgis tests waters for PFAS contaminants

The city of Sturgis recently received test results from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances at the clean water discharge end of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The results report that PFAS contaminants were below the water-quality-standard limit set for surface water discharge. Clean water from the city’s wastewater treatment plant is discharged to the …

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One student killed when truck collides with Indiana school bus

Police say one student was killed and another was injured when a flatbed truck collided with a school bus in northern Indiana. Indiana State Police Sgt. Ted Bohner says a male teenager died Wednesday morning when the truck rear-ended the bus along U.S. 31, about 30 miles south of South Bend. A second student injured in the crash just after …

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Investigation continues in White Pigeon fire

Two people died in an early-morning fire Tuesday in White Pigeon. Three departments responded to the fire on West Chicago Road in the center of the village, where first-arriving personnel found the home fully engulfed in flames. A pregnant woman and a child were unable to escape the residence. Seven others were taken to the hospital. Fire inspectors from Michigan …

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Mendon plant hopes to land new business

A union official with International Automotive Components in Mendon said he is optimistic the Mendon plant will be in the running to potentially land a new launch in 2020. Frank “Jimmy” Hines, bargaining chairman of UAW Local 503, said workers have been cleaning and reorganizing, and freeing up floor space in hopes of securing a contract for a new General …

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Two deaths, multiple injuries in White Pigeon fire

A house fire in White Pigeon early today claimed the lives of a pregnant woman and a young boy. Seven people were injured in the blaze at the home located in the 100-block of West Chicago Road. The fire was reported around 3:30 this morning. A 15-year-old boy was able to get out of the home and call 911. A …

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Hundreds attend Sturgis Hospital meeting

A community meeting Monday at Eastwood Elementary School in Sturgis addressed the impact of a restructuring plan at Sturgis Hospital. Facilitated by State Rep. Aaron Miller, the meeting drew a few hundred people and featured a question-and-answer session with Rob LaBarge, president and CEO. Planned changes at the hospital were announced last week and included the closing of obstetric services …

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County searching for new finance director

St. Joseph County will begin the process of searching for a new finance director, as Ryan Post announced he has accepted another job. Post, who joined the county in July 2017, has accepted the role of Van Buren County’s finance director/deputy county administrator. Post lives less than 15 minutes from the Van Buren County Courthouse and said a shorter drive …

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Sherman Township crash causes serious injuries

One person sustained serious injuries late Friday in a two-vehicle crash in Sherman Township. St. Joseph County sheriff ‘s deputies said a vehicle driven by Natalie Whiteman, 19, of Shipshewana, was westbound on Banker Road when she failed to stop at the intersection of Shimmel Road. Her car was struck by an SUV driven by Carmita Hunter, 47, of Centreville. …

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Airline disputes family’s account of woman left at O’Hare

American Airlines says closed-circuit television footage at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport shows a 67-year-old woman in a wheelchair wasn’t left alone nearly as long as her family claims. American released a timeline that shows Olimpia Warsaw was alone 1 ¼ hours after her flight was canceled late Friday — during which time Warsaw twice used a walker to go outside …

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Cracker Barrel near Kalamazoo closing because of salmonella

A Cracker Barrel restaurant in southwestern Michigan will not reopen after a problem with salmonella. The Kalamazoo County health department says it was told about the closing last week. The agency says private tests revealed significant contamination at the Kalamazoo-area restaurant. Results from state tests are expected this week. The restaurant had reopened after closing in June due to health-code …

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